Improvement in corn-planters



E. L. BERGSTBESSBR.

Corn-Planters Patented Jan. 22, 1878.

N. PETERS. PNOTO-LITHOGRIPNER. WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIo EDWIN L. BERGSTRESSEB, or HUBLERSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,401, dated January 22, 1878 application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. BERGSTRES- SER, of Hnblersburg, in the county of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn- Planters and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a cornplanter, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, an inverted view; Fig. 4, a detail view.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, A represents the framework of my corn-planter, having suitable boxes c a on its under side, near the rear end, for the passage of the axle B, which has the driving-wheels c placed loosely on its ends. One of said wheels is, however, secured on a sleeve, D, which projects inward through the box a on that side, and the axle B passes through this said sleeve.

On each end of the axle B is secured a crank or crank-wheel, E, connected by a pitman, I), with an oscillating dropping-disk, G, placed on a center stud. In this disk, at equal distances from the center, are three or four dropping-holes, e e e 0 which are located ninety degrees apart, and are of unequal size, so as to be changed according to the amount to be deposited each time. In the fourth quarter of the disk are two or four dropping holes, 6 e, to be used when fertilizer is to be dropped at the same time as the corn. The disk G has perforated projecting ears f, corresponding with the four kinds of droppingholes, so that by simply connecting the pit- 7 man I; with one of said ears the disk will be July 25, 1877.

case for the passage of the corn from the hopper to the disk, and in said opening are ordinary brush cut-offs. These feed-plates rest only on the four arms or ears, so that the plates will move with as little friction as possible.

Rigidly fastened to the axle is a suitablyshaped cam or other device, a, which, as the axle revolves, bears downward upon the top of the rear end of double lever 4, which is pivoted upon the cross-rod t. The front ends of these levers bear up against the under sides of the pivoted aprons V, that are pivoted underneath the seed-boxes, so as to catch the grain as it falls therefrom. These aprons are concave on top, and are made heavier at their rear ends, so that they constantly tilt backward, and are only supported in a horizontal position by resting upon the front ends of the levers 4*. As the rear ends of these levers are pressed downward, the front ends tilt the aprons upward, so as to discharge the grain that has been dropped upon them againstthe guides or tubes u, from which they fall to the earth.

In front of each conductor J is a furrowopener, M, attached to the frame.

The seed is covered by means of a coverer, N, the shank of which is vplaced in a grooved plate, 0, attached to the side of the frame A; and the coverer is held therein at any height desired by a staple, 1?, one prong of which passes through the plate and side beam of the frame, and is fastened by a nut on the inner side of said beam.

When fertilizer is to be dropped at the same time as the seed, the hopper I is divided in two apartments; and in the fertilizer-apartment is a stirrer, m, operated by means of a pitman, n, from a crank or eccentric, p, on the axle B.

()n the inner end of the wheel-sleeve D are the two projections s s, which are to take into a clutch, R, feathered to and laterally movable on the axle B by means of alever, S, whereby the machine may be instantaneously thrown in gear; and it is thrown out of gear by a spring bearing against said lever.

The lever S is, by a cord or chain, '0, which passes over a pulley, w, connected with afootlever, W, so as to throw the machine in gear In testimony that I claim the foregoing I with the foot when desired. have hereunto set my hand.

Having thus fully described my invention, 'what I claim as new, and desire to secure EDWIN L. BERGSTRESSER.

by Letters Patent, is-- a The combination, with the axle B, of the Witnesses: wheel-sleeve D, having lugs s s, the clutch R, J NO. BROWN lever S, spring, and foot-lever W, substan- S. O. THOMPSON. tially as and for the purposes herein set forth. 

